The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-05-20
4 Aleautiful storp.
The Pilgrims.
FROM THE RI &SIAN OF COUNT LEO
TOIST0l.

IDISibl.
Elisha hal already walked about
five versts " zen it began to grow light.
He sat down under tree and counted
his money. Only seventeen ronbles
twenty copecks were left. "With only
this" he thought. Il shall never be
able to cross the sea: and to beg my
nv way in ChriSt's name would per-
hape BE- a sin. Brother Ivan will make
out The Journey alone and light a can
die for ne 1T the Holy Sepnlchre. But
the burden Of my unfuliillel vow must
rest unon me rs long as | live. Well.
the Master is kind; he will have pa
ticncc.'
Elisha GOT up, shouldered his sack
once more. and turned to 90 back
Only he Went Il long way round, so
that the people Of the village should
not see him. He was Il long time get
ting home.
When he hal been with Ivan he had
often found il hard work to keep up,
but now God seemed to give him the
strength 50 that he went along without
feeling tired lie walked lightly, swing
ing his staff. and making his seventy
versts day.
He found on his return that all the
c:o2s had bccu gathered in. The
whole family rejoiccd over the man,
They questioned him, wanted to know
the why and tie wherefore of every
thing why he had left his compan-
ION. how it Wa that he ha,l no. gone
TO the cnl of his Journey. why he had
turneI back:
Bat Elisha did moi tell his story
''Goi did not Grant me this grace. |
los my money on the .i"nln y and lag
ged behind my companion that is why
| did moi 90 on. Forgive me, Tor
Chli-t's sake" And he gave back to
his wife the money hat WAS left.
He wanted to know how il had far
ell with The home matters. All was
we'll. everything had been done ut the
right time, nothing had been neglect
cd. and the household were living to
gether in peace and quietness.
Iyan's family heard the same day of
EIisha's return. They came to inquire
about their old man, and Elisha told
them the same thing. ''Iour old man,
said he, walked on bravely. We part
ed three DAYS before st. Peters Feast.
| | wanted to overtake him, but many
things happened. lost my money
| and had nothing 10 go on with, so
came back.
People wondered that such sensi
bic man should have acted so foolish
ly, setting out and then turning back
after going only halfway and wasting
his money. They wondered for /
while. and then they forgot. and Eli
sha also forgot He went to worl
again, chopped wood with his son fol
winter. threshed corn with the wo
men. mended the thaiched roof of tn,
barn. attended to the bees, and CAV,
his ncighbor ten hives with the swarm
belonging TO them. His old wife
wanted to hide the number of swarm
which those hives had actually pro
duced. but Elisha knew which hive
had swarmcl and which not and so
instead of ten swarmS, the neighEo
was given seventeen.
In this way Ivan arranged every
thing against the winter, sent his sol
away to work and sat down himself t,
plait best shoes and make new bee
hives through the long cold months.
Ivan looked for his comrade al
through that first day on which Elish;
remained behind with the sick family
lie would 60 ON little way, then 81
down. wait, wait: by-md-by doze ;
little rouse up. sit for some time Ion
ger-hut no comrale appeared. Hi
eyes were quite tired ont with lookin!
for him.
| Already the sun had gone benin,
the trees, bat no Elisha 'Can he hay
passed me ON foot thought he; 80
can some one have given him Il lift
and lie not have noticed me sleeping
by The wavside: But how could h
help seeing me: On the steppe yo1
see 50 fur. If were to turn back h
might oct Il long way ahead of me. "
might cross one another, and tina
would be worse. will 90 on We shall
meet where We stop for the night,
He arrived at village and begge
the "desiatsky," should such an oil
man is Elisha appear, to send him t
the same cottage.
Elisha did not come to tie resting
place.
I .,, . a. ,,.-, l,,- ,,l-;,,